Mistress Persephone, Nox Oracle

Contents

The myth of the Nox Oracle has many conflicting accounts. The common theme is that a woman in a black dress walks out of the darkness, often accompanied by her two dogs, and makes a memorable night. Some stories depict her as seductive and intoxicating to both men and women. Other stories depict her as cruel and sadistic, while still others portray her as wise and nurturing.

Persephone is her true name.

The most powerful beings of the Realm have several different kinds of power. Quince's power comes from lies, deception, and propaganda. DeGrey's power is his ability to shed light on the truth. Grave's power comes from relentless training and discipline, while Menelker's power is the will to do what others can't or won't do. Persephone's power is tapping into the most base and animal desires and having complete mastery over her own emotions as well as the emotions of others. It's a kind of power that even tough guys like Grave and Menelker aren't prepared to face.

While the stories about Persephone's sadistic nature are not entirely false, they also aren't the whole picture. She does revel in the pain of others, but it's pain mixed with pleasure. Even her unwilling victims become willing during the heightened experiences she creates, and some have said she made them feel "truly alive."

While Persephone enjoys "play," don't forget your place. She is serious and looks after those weaker than her, admiring their inner strength. She understands trends and people as only an outsider can—sometimes we're too close to our own problems to see them. Several times throughout history, Persephone has intervened and changed the course of events to favor those who she believes deserve to be favored.

Generations ago during a day of great turmoil, DeGrey was mortally wounded, impaled by a wooden post. Persephone appeared, and after a bit of "play," offered DeGrey a second chance at life as long as he pursued his mission. DeGrey accepted, and Persephone left a (tormenting) spirit behind to watch over DeGrey. DeGrey owes his unnaturally long life to the Nox Oracle.

Several years ago, when Onimaru claimed the Stormborne Family Sword from Grave's father in battle, Persephone stepped out of the night to retake that sword. Grave was just a young boy, crying as Persephone comforted him and presented him with his father's weapon. It was his now, though she cautioned him never to use it unless it's necessary.

She may have had other adventures, but no one seems to talk about these things.

Persephone is a control deck, who maximizes throws with her passive ability to recycle cards from her discard. Much of Peresephone's control comes from her 10's, which allows her to choose which card her opponent draws, or discard the top 3 cards from their deck.

In this latter way, Persephone can play as a burn deck - defeating her opponents by emptying their deck to lose from fatigue instead of injury.

Dominance - Whenever you knock down your opponent, you may fetch a non-Joker card from your discard pile (before you discard combat cards). If you also knocked them down last combat, fetch up to four non-Joker cards of different ranks instead.

Individual Cards:

2: A/D

3: A/D

4: A/D

5: A/B

6: A/B

7: T/B

8: T/B

9*: T/B

Do as Told - [Reaction] The opponent may take 10 damage to make their ability uncounterable. If they don't, counter that ability. (Prevent and undo the ability and the opponent discards the card if played from hand. You can't counter Aces, Jokers or character cards.)

T*: T/B

Bare Your Soul - [Draw Phase] Put the top 3 cards of the opponent's deck face up on the table. If there are more than 3 such face up cards, discard down to 3 (your choice). Whenever they would draw a card, you may choose one of those face up cards for them to draw instead. If you don't, they discard the face up cards. Whenever the opponent would shuffle their deck, they shuffle those cards back into it.

Mistress's Command - [During Combat] If you won combat and Mistress's Command deals damage, you control the opponent's next turn until (and including) the combat-reveal. You can't control two turns in a row. (Look at their hand, you may play their abilities and their combat card. You control your own turn as usual.)

9*: Bare Your Soul - Triggers at start of turn, chooses a card from your opponent's hand and reorders the top 5 cards and the chosen card on the top of the opponent's deck.

Ability Modified:

T ability is now a counterspell

Jack Modified: Power Lash: 9(3) damage --> 8(3) damage

Queen Modified: 10(2) damage --> 9(2) damage

Ace Attack Modified:

A: 0.2 speed --> 1.0 speed

AA attack now knocksdown

1.3 -> 1.4

9* Bare Your Soul ability looks at top 2 cards instead of top 5 cards

T* counter now lets you gain control of the countered ability, but also lets the opponent take 10 damage to prevent that from happening.

1.4 -> 1.5

Hit Points Modified: 66 --> 70

Innate Modified:

Dominance - Whenever you knock down your opponent, draw a card. If you knocked them down last turn also, draw two cards instead.

T* Ability Moved:

9*: Do as Told - Discard this card to take control of the effect of an opponent's ability other than those on Aces, Jokers, or character cards. The opponent may choose to take 10 damage to prevent this. (Play this after the opponent spends any activation costs.)

9* Ability Modified:

T*: Bare your Soul - At the beginning of the turn, you may discard this card to make the opponent play with the top card of his deck revealed. This effect ends when it's a Hearts card.

1.5 -> 1.6

Abilities Modified:

9*: Do as Told - Discard this card to counter the effect of any ability other than those on Aces, Jokers, or character cards unless the opponent takes 10 damage.(Play this after the opponent spends any activation costs, then prevent and undo that entire ability. The opponent discards the ability card if it was played from his hand.)

T*: Bare You Soul - At the beginning of the turn, you may discard this card to make the opponent play with the top card of his deck revealed. When that card is a Hearts card, the opponent skips his next draw and this effect ends.

1.6 -> 1.7

Ace Attack Modified:

Mistress's Command: A --> AA

A* allows you to control the opponent's next turn until the end of combat.

On Your Knees: 20 damage --> 18 damage

Ability Modified:

T*: Bare Your Soul - At the beginning of the turn, you may discard this card to make the opponent reveal each card he draws. When he reveals a Hearts card this way, he puts it on top of his deck, skips that draw, and this effect ends.

A*: Mistress's Command - If Mistress's Command deals damage, next turn you control the opponent's actions until the end of combat as well as your own. (Look at their hand, play their combat card and any abilities of theirs that you want.) If you already control the opponent's current turn, this ability has no effect.

A*: Mistress's Command - If you won combat andMistress's Command deals damage, next turn you control the opponent's actions until the end of combat as well as your own. (Look at their hand, play their combat card and any abilitiies of theirs that you want.) If you already control the opponent's current turn, this ability has no effect.

2.0 -> 3.2

Combo Points Modified: 5 --> 4

Normal Throws Modified: 6 damage --> 7 damage

Jack Modified: Power Lash now knocksdown.

Jack Modified: 7+3(3) damage, 2 CP Linker --> 7+4 damage, 1 CP Linker

King Modified: 8 damage --> 9 damage

Ability Modified:

T*: Bare Your Soul - After the draw phase, you may attach this to your opponent's character card. While attached, he must play with the top card of his deck revealed. If he would draw a Hearts card, turn that card face down instead of drawing it and put this card in your discard pile.

3.2 -> 3.4

Abilities Modified:

A*: Mistress's Command - If you won combat and Mistress's Command deals damage, you control the opponent's next turn until (and including) playing their combat card.If you already control the opponent's current turn, this ability has no effect.(Look at their hand, you may play their abilities and their combat card. You control your own turn as usual.)

T*: Bare Your Soul - After the draw phase, you may discard this card to draw a card then place the top 3 cards of the opponent's deck face up on the table. Whenever he would draw a card, you may have him take one of those face up cards of your choosing instead. Whenever the opponent would shuffle his deck, he shuffles the face up cards back into it.

9*: Do as Told - Discard this card to counter the effect of any ability other than those on Aces, Jokers, or character cards. The opponent may choose to take 10 damage to make their ability uncounterable. (Play this after the opponent spends any activation costs, then prevent and undo that entire ability. The opponent discards the ability card if it was played from his hand.)

3.4 -> 4.0

Innate Modified:

Dominance - Whenever you knock down your opponent, draw a card. If you knocked them down lastcombat also, draw two cards instead.

Dominance Whenever you knock down your opponent, draw a card. If you knocked them down last combat also, return up to four non-joker cards from your discard pile to your hand.

Ability modified:

T*: Bare Your Soul - After the draw phase, you may discard this card to draw a card then place the top 3 cards of the opponent's deck face up on the table. Whenever he would draw a card, you may have him take one of those face up cards of your choosing instead. If you don't, place one of the revealed cards in the discard pile.

Dominance - Whenever you knock down your opponent, you may fetch a non-Joker card from your discard pile. If you also knocked them down last combat, fetch up to fivenon-Joker cards of different ranks instead.

Hit Points Modified: 70 --> 75

Ability Modified:

T*: Bare Your Soul ability - <Draw Phase> Put the top 3 cards of the opponent's deck face up on the table. Whenever they would draw a card, you may choose one of those face up cards for them to draw instead. If you don't, they discard the face up cards. Whenever the opponent would shuffle their deck, they shuffle those cards back into it.

​5.0 -> Released

Abilities Reworded:

Do As Told is labeled as a "Reaction" ability:

9*: Do As Told - [Reaction] The opponent may take 10 damage to make their ability uncounterable. If they don't, counter that ability. (Prevent and undo the ability and the opponent discards the card if played from hand. You can't counter Aces, Jokers or character cards.)

A*: Mistress's Command is labeld as a "During Combat" ability:

A*: Mistress's Command - [During Combat] If you won combat and Mistress's Command deals damage, you control the opponent's next turn until (and including) the combat-reveal. You can't control two turn in a row. (Look at their hand, you may play their abilities and their combat card. You control your own turn as usual.)

Joker*: Rewind Time is labeled as a "Combo Escape" ability.

Released -> 5.3

Innate Modified:

Dominance now activates before combat cards are discarded.

5.3 -> 5.4

Update to Cards' Rendering: Ability timing tags are now in their own separate box.

5.4 -> 5.5

Queen Modified: 8(2) damage --> 9(2) damage

King Modified: 8.4 speed --> 8.0 speed

Ace Modified:

On Your Knees: 15 damage --> 16 damage

​5.5 -> 5.8

Innate Modified:

Dominance now allows opponents to fetch for 4 non-Joker cards instead of 5.

Ability Modified:

T*: Bare Your Soul - If there are more than 3 face up cards on the table when this ability is used, discard them down in three.